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Yorkshire has approximately 400,000 Muslims with concentrations in Bradford, Keighley, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Halifax, Wakefield, Leeds and Sheffield.

And hundreds of thousands of Yorkshire Muslims will observe Ramadan, a month of fasting during the day. It is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and is when the Koran, the holy scripture of Islam, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

In addition to fasting from dawn to dusk, observing Ramadan includes a pre-dawn breakfast (suhur) and an after-dark dinner (iftar). Muslims believe that fasting and concentrating on prayer brings them closer to Allah. Observers are expected to refrain from smoking, sexual intercourse, and sinful activities, instead concentrating on prayer and Quran study.

Read more: I took a three hour scenic drive through the narrow Yorkshire roads to Huddersfield, and it was absolutely stunning.

Additional good deeds and charity are encouraged during the month, as it is believed that Allah rewards those who do good deeds during Ramadan the most. The month of Ramadan ends with Eid-al-Fitr, a grand celebration of the return to normal life.

In South Asian countries like Pakistan, Muslims eat sweet foods and celebratory dishes like biryanis. The children receive gifts of cash and new clothes. Muslim women decorate their hands with temporary henna tattoos (mehndi).

When does Ramadan start in Yorkshire?

The beginning of Ramadan is not fixed because it is determined by the first sight of the new moon. This year Ramadan is expected to start on March 23. While Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia have a board of astronomers appointed to detect the first faint sign of the new moon, Britain does not, so the timing of prayers and fasting is determined by the times in between. East.

Here’s the schedule courtesy of the Bradford Grand Mosque, the largest mosque in the north.

What are the key dates?

In addition to the beginning of Ramadan, the month contains Laylat al-Qadr. The night, sometimes translated as ‘Night of Decree’ or ‘Night of Power’, is the holiest day in the Muslim calendar.

It is when the Qur’an was first sent down from Heaven and its first verses were revealed. Its exact date is not known, it is not in the Qur’an, but it is said to be the last five odd nights of Ramadan in Sunni Islam. In Shia Islam it is said to be the last 10 odd nights.

The other main key date is Eid ul-Fitr (see above).

What good deeds can you do during Ramadan?

Here are some suggestions from Trinity Academy Leeds.

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